"Time for God"

          The time is unknown, sometime early in the morning. Here at the camp, there are no clocks or watches. Only the leaders have a watch. I like it that way. I never know what time is is, except that it's "time" for God. The sun rises very early here. We typically wake up around 6am and the sun is already halfway in the sky! By 7:30 at night, it's pitch dark.

I enjoy our quiet time in the morning. Spending time with God while I gaze upon dense tropical forests with a huge volcano as the background. Magnificent.

        Last night, after we arrived back from the fiesta, we ate our meal of fried rice and potato chips, then the translators suddenly appeared with trays of icecream with chocolate coffee sticks! Everybody started shouting in joy. Oh goodness, I savored that treat! It will be quite some time till we can taste something so cold again.

        Although, the water here is freezing! The water comes straight from the mountains. Taking a shower, you really like you're going to pass out it's so cold! It hurts all the way to my bones. It's a strategy though, wet one arm for 3 seconds, slap on some soap. Breathe. Wet other arm, slap on soap. Breathe. Stick both arms in, rinse. Clinch your fists. Scream. Squeel till all the soap is washed off. Maybe sing a song to distract you ( Alot of times the girls and I would be taking a shower, and we'd all sing songs together, being all silly, to keep us distracted from how cold it was ). Washing hair is the absolute worst though. It takes forever to wet and rinse and then the cold water runs down your back and legs. So pretty much, showers are a torture but a blessing because we stink so badly! Afterwards, it feels quite lovely to stand in the grass because it's so warm.

        I am glad I keep a journal, or else I'd be going crazy not being able to vent about what isn't so pleasant here in Costa Rica! I made a promise to myself, and to God, that on the trip I would not complain. Not once. So far, I've kept it.